'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
2020 has been an extremely challenging year for esports. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic and related restrictions, most tournaments were postponed to later be converted into online events. Free Fire changed the format of its World Championship to three regional, continental series. The PUBG Mobile World League and the PUBG Mobile Global Championship were set up in online-only modes.
As the year comes to a close, here's a look back at some of the most-watched esports tournaments of 2020, curated by app analytics firm Esports Charts.
Most-watched esports events this year
By hours watched
League of Legends is the most popular game globally, and this is evident from this list, as the top 4 most-watched tournaments are LOL events. The Worlds 2020, LCK Spring (Korea), LCK Summer (Korea), and LEC Summer (Europe) were watched for 139.86 million, 65.91 million, 62.92 million, 41.06 million hours each.
The PUBG Mobile World League East is the first and only mobile game tournament to make the list, with 37.33 million hours watched. Last year, mobile games didn't even reach the top 20.
By peak viewers
The LOL Worlds remains on top in terms of peak viewers as well. This year, it was watched by 3.88 million concurrent viewers as Damwon Gaming from Korea won its first-ever world title.
After the ban of PUBG Mobile in India, Free Fire dominated mobile esports in 2020. This is evident as the second and third positions on this list are taken by Free Fire Continental Series Asia and Americas, with 2.5 million and 1.7 million peak viewers, respectively.
The game received special love in India, with the Hindi stream for the Free Fire Continental Series 2020 Asia touching 1.5 million peak viewers.
The sixth season of the Mobile Premier League, Indonesia, appeared in the fourth position with a 1.3 million peak watching rating, while Free Fire again took the fifth and final spot. The FFL Clausura gathered 1.2 million concurrent viewers and became the most popular Spanish-speaking event.
By average viewers
The LOL Worlds also leads the average viewer's list with more than 1.1 million average viewers. The event was held in Shanghai from September 25th to October 31st.
The FFCS Asia and Americas were not far behind, taking second and third spots with 827.3k and 796.3k each.
Free Fire Copa America ended fourth. Apart from the Worlds 2020, it was the only event held offline in January 2020, but still attracted viewers to their screens.
The regional finals of the LCK in September 2020 rounded off the top five with 540K average viewers. The main thing about this tournament was that T1, one of the most popular teams among Koreans, fought for a spot in the main event but didn't make it, leaving viewers shocked.
Check out the latest Free Fire MAX redeem codes here.
